How to Buy a Reliable Used Truck Axle for Cheap

January 27, 2012

Anyone looking for a used truck axle has a variety of markets to explore. There are truck axles available via the Internet, trade magazines, newspapers, junk yards, truck axle repair shops and used car part dealers. Before beginning your search, determine exactly what type of truck axle you want. For example, determine what truck axle weight limits are needed, what size wheel, what gear ratio and any other relevant information. This will save time and allow those you contact to determine quickly whether or not they have that type of truck axle in their inventory.

Step #1: Narrow the Search Criteria

Searching the web for inexpensive truck axles can be an awesome and tedious task. However, if you narrow the search criteria enough, the search engines will weed out the hits that do not apply to your search. For example, if you search for truck axles, you will receive more than a million hits. However, if you narrow the search by using the criteria "used truck axles for Ford F-150," then the hits that appear will be more specific to your search and more meaningful in finding exactly what axles you need. The more detailed your search, the more specific the resulting hits are.

Step #2: Search Trade Magazines and Newspapers

Very often inexpensive truck axles (or any truck part) can be found in specific trade magazines and newspapers. Sometimes parts can be found in regular newspapers; however, a trade magazine featuring Ford parts (if looking for Ford parts) will provide more possibilities than any other magazine or newspaper. These periodicals can usually be found at local newsstands.

Step #3: Visit Junk Yards

Junk yards provide a number of possibilities for finding used truck axles. The inventory at your local junk yard changes constantly as new junker vehicles replace those that are older and already cannibalized. Junk yards rotate vehicles every month and so if a vehicle (or what is left of it) is there after a month, it is scrapped to make room for a new junk vehicle. You pay a small admission fee and a part fee and must bring your own tools to disassemble the part you want; however, this is a very inexpensive way to retrieve quality parts. Some of these vehicles come to the junk yard after a car accident, but that doesn't mean that the entire vehicle is damaged.

Step #4: Contact Repair Shops and Used Car Part Dealers

Repair shops sometimes have inventory such as truck axles for sale. Sometimes the job they ordered a part for does not materialize and so they have parts available for sale. Used car part dealers specialize in finding and selling car parts around the country. They use special software to track down and then order parts from other dealers or junk yards throughout the United States.

Finding Parts

Finding used vehicle parts, such as truck axles, is not difficult. However, using more time in planning and specifying your needs before beginning the search will save you time and money.

Related Questions and Answers

Which Differential is Used to Make Single Axle Trucks Out of Tandem Ones?

In order to turn dual axle trucks into single axle trucks, you need to change the differential from and inter-axle assembly into a single axle ring and pumpkin gear assembly. An inter-axle differential assembly is a type of differential which has an input from the driveshaft and an output to the rear differential/axle assembly in-line with each other. A single axle ring and pumpkin differential assembly has one input from the driveshaft and the outputs to the drive axles. This type of differential assembly can be purchased at most heavy duty parts stores or salvage yards.

What is a Single Axle Truck?

A single axle truck is a truck that has only a single differential to provide torque to the drive wheels, and thus, only has two drive wheels. While this type of truck can be quite large when compared to your standard pickup truck, they won't be able to carry or haul anywhere near as much as a large truck with tandem axles. Tandem and single axle trucks can be big rigs, dump trucks and garbage trucks, to name just a few uses. Most single axle trucks will have two wheels on each side to increase their load carrying ability.

Is a Dual Axle Better Than a Single Axle Truck?

You're looking at a dual axle truck to do some heavy hauling. If you have a very heavy duty truck and have a huge load to carry, a dual axle truck is going to be your best bet. However, if all you need to haul is household waste or goods such as appliances and furniture, you won't really need the expense of a dual axle truck. Dual axle trucks are needed when hauling large loads such as rocks and boulders, or multi-ton loads of broken up concrete. For most people, a single axle truck is going to be better, but for many commercial uses, you just might need a dual axle truck.